Adventurer Johann Westhauser will not require neurosurgery despite suffering a fractured skull and broken eye socket after being trapped for almost two weeks at the bottom of Germany's deepest cave.

The 52-year-old explorer was flown to the Murnau Trauma Centre after being rescued from the Riesending cave. Mr Westhauser was unable to make his own way to the surface after being struck by falling rocks.

More than 700 rescuers were involved in the operation after the German caver was injured on June 8.

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Explorer Johann Westhauser, pictured, suffered a fractured skull, broken eye socket and internal bleeding when he was struck by rocks while more than 1,000 metres down Germany's deepest cave

Voker Buehren, medical director at the Murnau hospital treating Mr Westhauser said the caver would spend between two and four weeks at the clinic before continuing his rehabilitation at home

Mr Westhauser was trapped almost 1,000 metres below the surface of the Reisending cave system in the German alps

Medical director Volker Beuhren said his patient would not require any neurosurgery despite his injuries. Mr Westhauser will spend up to four weeks recuperating at the hospital before returning home.

Mr Westhauser also suffered some internal bleeding as a result of his accident.

During a video conference, the adventurer appeared to have some difficulty speaking.

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Bavarian mountain rescue chief Norbert Heiland said: 'A chapter of Alpine rescue history has been written here over the last 12 days.'

The rescuers use an ingenious system of ropes, winches and pulleys to transport Mr Westhauser through the perilous cave system

More than 700 people were involved in the operation to rescue Mr Westhauser in what has been described as 'a chapter of Alpine rescue history'

Mr Westhauser is winched to safety at the end of his two-week long ordeal by rescuers from the Bavarian Mountain Patrol

A team of 728 people from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and Croatia were involved in the massive operation.

Italian rescuer Roberto Conti said: 'Since the birth of caving, there have been only two incidents of this depth, complexity and difficulty.'

A fit expert could climb from the accident site to the entrance in about 12 hours, but rescuers had to haul Mr Westhauser on a stretcher. The cave entrance is on a mountainside, 5,900ft above sea level.

Mr Westhauser had entered the cave system with two colleagues to carry out research and measurements.

Rescuers said a fit, expert climber would be able to get from the accident scene to surface in 12 hours.

However, due to the level of publicity attracted by the rescue, which some authorities said would not be possible, regional politicians now fear the area could attract 'risk tourism'.

Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann advocated shutting the cave entrance to ensure it was accessed only by experts.

Mr Westhauser is carried the final couple of metres to the German Police helicopter tasked with rushing him to hospital for emergency treatment